Photographer Binh Danh uses a 19th century photographic process to make daguerreotypes of the Yosemite landscape in his van-turned-darkroom.

Photographer Binh Danh uses a 19th century photographic process to make daguerreotypes of the Yosemite landscape in his van-turned-darkroom.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

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Binh Danh's daguerreotype of Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite (May 11, 2012) is part of his exhibition, in which, he says, "you are able to reflect yourself onto this landscape."

Binh Danh's daguerreotype of Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite (May 11, 2012) is part of his exhibition, in which, he says, "you are able to reflect yourself onto this landscape."

Photo: Binh Danh, Haines Gallery

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Binh Danh's Yosemite daguerreotypes

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Yosemite may be the most photographed landscape on Earth, but it's never been photographed the way Binh Danh does it. From afar, the images are plates of silver, and up close they are mirrors. Only at the correct distance and angle can you see the famed granite walls and blue falls. This is the fourth exhibition at Haines Gallery for Danh, 34, who grew up in San Jose, in a family of Vietnamese refugees.

Q:In your last exhibition you used plant leaves as printing paper. Now what?

A: Now I'm making daguerreotypes, which is a picture on a silver plate, using a 19th century photographic process.

A: No. I was the first photographer. The daguerreotype process is very hard to do away from the studio.

Q: What is involved in making just one image?

A: I go to Yosemite with a van, which I have converted to a darkroom. I call the van "Louie" after Louis Daguerre. I'm in the van with a plate, which I have polished to a high finish. I synthesize the plate with iodine vapor. When the iodine comes into contact with the silver, the plate becomes light sensitive. From there I put it in a plate holder with my camera and go hiking. I'll find a spot and make an exposure, come back to the van and develop the plate.

Q:What can you see that you can't see in any other picture of Yosemite?

A: Yourself. You become part of the image. You are able to reflect yourself onto this landscape and think about your relationship to the land.

Q:Describe your occupation?

A: I'm an educator. I teach through my art, and a couple weeks ago I started teaching at Arizona State University. I'm an assistant professor of photography. This is my first permanent faculty position.

Q:Latest project?

A: I've been making landscape daguerreotypes of the crosses in Lafayette, which are a memorial to the dead from the current wars.

Q: Describe your speaking voice.

A: My English is a work in progress. I didn't learn English until I started kindergarten in San Jose. When I was in elementary school, they didn't have an ESL program. I was placed with the mentally challenged students, so they became my friends.

Q: What did your dad do?

A: My dad fixed TVs.

Q:What did you want to be?

A: I thought I was going to be a janitor because I worked at my father's shop and really enjoyed cleaning up. At night, we would do house calls, and I'd follow him and carry the box of tubes.

Q: What made you decide to become a photographer?

A: When I was in high school, I would cut school and go to the museums in San Francisco and look at photographs. I went to the mall and looked through books on architecture. That's how I educated myself with art making.